Feature Article - for release the week of July 6, 2008

Angela Sachson – Florida Yards & Neighborhoods  

 

Get ready, Get Set, Plant!

As we celebrate our nation’s beginnings, it is also time to think ahead to August and September.  Those are the months when vegetable gardens are planted in South Florida .  Whether you are an experienced veggie grower or are thinking about raising your own crops for the first time, now is the time for choosing a place to grow vegetables and getting it ready to plant. 

That’s especially true if you decide to use an excellent method of garden preparation called Solarization.  Solarization is just a fancy word for putting clear plastic on your moist garden site and letting the sun bake out all of the weed seeds, bad bugs and nematodes.  It takes several weeks, so choose your garden spot and heat it up.  When you are ready to do it, check our website or call or come by the Extension office.  We can help.

 

Choosing where to plant is also important.  A vegetable garden needs at least six hours of sun every day.  Get out your compass and site your plot with the long side pointing north-south.  Make sure you can get to it with a source of water.  And remember—you can also locate vegetables in your sunny flower beds—some, like okra and eggplant are really beautiful.

A paper plan is a good idea, using information about spacing from seed packets.  Oh, and don’t plant vegetables you hate to eat.  This year I plan to raise lots of broccoli and not so many green beans.

Soil preparation

Another really important aspect of vegetable gardening is the soil.  If you have a chance it is a great idea to add organic materials to our sandy soil.  This should be done soon.  You may not have compost but you can purchase both compost and manure where you buy plants and seeds.  And start a compost pile now for next year.  See articles on our website about composting.  Many experienced gardeners believe it takes several years to create really rich garden soil so be patient.  In the meantime you will probably want to use commercial fertilizer.  The label will tell you how to apply before, during, and after planting.

When planting time comes - August for many crops-- you are ready to  purchase seeds and plants.  This is fun.   Buy disease-free bedding plants and also look for disease resistant varieties. The University of Florida has information about which varieties grow well in south Florida so feel free to consult us.  We have lists.  Plant seeds according to the directions on the packets and water the way they tell you to.  Planting depth is important for seedlings to thrive.  Here is a tomato tip: remove lower leaves on the seedling’s stem and plant the stem also.  This creates a very healthy root system.

Preventing pests

And speaking of disease, in our climate fungus disease is common.  The other key practice is to watch your watering.  And if need be, fungicides are available to help prevent some vegetable diseases.  Read the label and treat accordingly.

Eventually you may have to control weeds.  Hoeing when weeds are still small is best; chemical herbicides are not so good in a vegetable garden.  If you have solarized your plot your weed, nematode and fungus problems will be less. 

Insects need to be managed too, and the secret is to “scout” your crops.  That means inspect your plants carefully twice a week and treat only affected plants.  We have another list of Florida Friendly pest treatments which include biological products. 

If this sounds like a lot of work just think about the taste of vine-ripened tomatoes.  No vegetable that is picked and then ripened in a truck on the highway can compare to the taste of the one you pick fresh from your garden. 

Workshop Series 

And if you would like more help, please consider attending our series of workshops on growing your own food.  They begin Tuesday July 8 and continue every-other–Tuesday,  for three sessions.  It’s a series of free hands-on workshops to get you ready to produce your own great produce.  If you don’t have a lot of space we can teach you how to garden in containers.  Call 883-763-6469 to register.

If you need additional information on vegetable gardening, please email us at okeechobee@ifas.ufl.edu or call us at 863-763-6469. In Highlands County call 863-402-6540 and in Glades County call 863-946-0244.

Okeechobee residents can stop by our office at 458 Hwy 98 North in Okeechobee, and visit our Okeechobee County Master Gardeners from 1 to 3 PM on Tuesday afternoons.   GO GATORS!     

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Trade  names, where used, are given for the purpose of providing specific information. They do not constitute an endorsement or guarantee of products named, nor does it imply criticism of products not named. The Florida Cooperative Extension Service - Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer authorized to provide research, educational information, and other services to individuals and institutions that function without regard to race, color, sex, age, handicap, or national origin.  Florida Cooperative Extension Service / IFAS / University of Florida.  Larry A.  Arrington, Dean. Last update: 07/03/2008.  This page is maintained by Dan Culbert